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Ecclestone denies
Briatore linked to
Gribkowsky affair
FORMER Renault F1 chief and Italian
businessman Flavio Briatore has nothing
to do with the Gribkowsky bribe case
despite making a payment on Bernie
Ecclestone’s behalf, the Formula One
boss insists.
The Gribkowsky bribe scandal centres
on the assertion that German banker
Gerhard Gribkowsky was paid £27
million by Ecclestone during the 2005
sale of Formula One’s commercial rights.
Ecclestone admits to making the payment,
but has implied he was being extorted.
Speaking to British tabloid the Daily
Express, Ecclestone acknowledged that he
had asked the Italian to make a payment
to Gribkowsky on his behalf, but said that
Briatore had absolutely nothing to do with
the Gribkowsky affair.
“In no shape or form is Briatore involved
in this,” Ecclestone told the paper. “He did
make a payment for me but only because
I asked him after this man Gribkowsky
threatened to make trouble for me and
said he did not want the money paid
direct from the UK.
“Briatore did me a favour and, far from
being dragged into this, I told the German
prosecutor about it. That is how his name
has appeared.”
Ecclestone and Briatore have long
been friends and business partners; the
two men currently own the Queen’s Park
Rangers Football Club and are rumoured
to be interested in selling it to Team Lotus
boss Tony Fernandes.
Below:
Bernie Ecclestone (GBR)
F1 Supremo, Dr Gerhard
Gribkowsky (GER) the
majority shareholder of
SLEC Holdings and Flavio
Briatore (ITA) Renault Team
Principal. Formula One
World Championship, Rd15,
Italian Grand Prix, Race Day,
Monza, Italy, 4 September
2005.